Car Insurance Groups UK 2026: Groups 1-50 Explained & Cheapest Cars
CT
Chandraketu Tripathi
Finance Editor, Kaeltripton
Published5 Apr 2026
Last reviewed16 Jun 2026
✓ Fact-checked
Illustrative image. AI-generated and does not depict real people, places or events.
Advertisement
LAST REVIEWED: JUNE 2026
UK cars are assigned an insurance group from 1 to 50 by Thatcham Research, with group 1 the cheapest to insure and group 50 the most expensive. The rating reflects repair cost, performance, security and new price. A lower group generally means a lower premium, so checking a car's insurance group before buying can reduce the cost of cover.
★ Featured Partner · Sponsored
Compare Insurance Quotes
Search and compare quotes from leading UK insurers. Quotezone's panel includes specialist insurers not always on the four major comparison sites.
Before buying any car, checking its insurance group could save you hundreds or even thousands of pounds per year. Every car sold in the UK is rated from Group 1 (cheapest to insure) to Group 50 (most expensive), based on repair costs, performance, parts availability, and security. For young drivers, where insurance can cost £1,500-2,500+ per year, the difference between a Group 1 and a Group 20 car can be over £1,000/year in premiums.
Key Facts
Insurance groups: 1 (cheapest) to 50 (most expensive) | Set by: Thatcham Research | Check any car: thatcham.org or comparison sites | Young driver saving: £500-1,500/year choosing Group 1-5 vs Group 20+
What Determines a Car's Insurance Group?
Source: Thatcham Research, ABI. Groups set by the Group Rating Panel.
Factor
How It Affects Group
Weight
Repair costs
Higher repair costs = higher group
High
Parts availability and price
Expensive/rare parts = higher group
High
Engine size and performance
Bigger engine/faster = higher group
High
Car value (new)
More expensive car = higher group
Medium
Security features (alarms, immobilisers)
Better security = lower group
Medium
Safety (Euro NCAP rating)
Higher safety rating = lower group
Medium
Bumper design (low-speed crash repair)
Cheaper to repair = lower group
Medium
Braking performance
Better brakes = lower group
Lower
Insurance Groups 1-50: What to Expect
Group Range
Car Type
Typical Annual Premium (age 30, clean licence)
Examples
1-5
Small, economical, entry-level
£350-600
Ford Ka, Citroën C1, Fiat Panda, VW Polo 1.0
6-10
Small family, economy
£450-700
Ford Fiesta 1.0, Vauxhall Corsa 1.2, VW Polo 1.0 TSI
11-15
Family hatchback, small SUV
£500-800
Ford Focus 1.0, VW Golf 1.0, Nissan Micra
16-20
Mid-range family, small performance
£600-900
Ford Focus ST, VW Golf 1.5, SEAT Leon
21-30
Executive, medium performance
£750-1,200
BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Ford Focus ST 2.3
31-40
Large executive, sports
£1,000-2,000+
BMW 5 Series, Mercedes C Class AMG, Audi S3
41-50
Supercar, high performance, exotic
£2,000-5,000+
Porsche 911, BMW M3, Ferrari models
Cheapest Cars to Insure UK 2026 — Groups 1-5
Source: Confused.com, Parkers, What Car? Group data 2026. Best for young/new drivers seeking affordable premiums.
Car
Insurance Group
Why So Cheap?
Citroën C1
Group 1-3
Tiny engine, very cheap parts, excellent security
Ford Ka (older models)
Group 1-3
Simple mechanics, cheap parts, low value
Fiat Panda 1.2
Group 1-3
Low power, cheap repair costs
VW Polo 1.0
Group 2-5
Small engine, high safety rating, good security
Vauxhall Corsa 1.0
Group 3-5
Popular = cheap parts, small engine
Skoda Fabia 1.0
Group 2-4
VW group reliability, low repair costs
Hyundai i10
Group 1-5
Compact, cheap parts, low-speed crash protection
Toyota Aygo
Group 1-3
Tiny engine, great reliability, low repair costs
Peugeot 108
Group 1-3
Sister car to C1 and Aygo — same low costs
Renault Twingo
Group 1-3
City car, low power, cheap to repair
How Much Can You Save by Choosing a Lower Group Car?
Driver Profile
Group 5 Car Annual Premium
Group 20 Car Annual Premium
Saving
17-year-old, new driver
~£1,000-1,300
~£2,000-2,800
~£1,000-1,500/year
21-year-old, 2 years NCB
~£700-900
~£1,200-1,600
~£500-700/year
25-year-old, 5 years NCB
~£400-500
~£600-800
~£200-300/year
35-year-old, 10 years NCB
~£300-400
~£450-600
~£150-200/year
Frequently Asked Questions
What are car insurance groups UK?
Every car sold in the UK is assigned an insurance group from 1 (cheapest to insure) to 50 (most expensive). The groups are set by Thatcham Research on behalf of the Group Rating Panel — which includes insurers and the Association of British Insurers (ABI). The group is based on: repair costs, parts availability, performance and engine size, security features, and safety ratings. A car in Group 1 might cost a young driver £800-1,200 to insure; the same driver in a Group 40+ car might pay £3,000-5,000+.
What is the cheapest car to insure UK 2026?
The cheapest cars to insure in the UK are typically in Groups 1-5 and include: Volkswagen Polo 1.0 (Group 2-5), Ford Ka (Group 1-3), Vauxhall Corsa 1.0 (Group 3-5), Citroën C1 (Group 1-3), Fiat Panda (Group 1-3), and Skoda Fabia 1.0 (Group 2-4). These small cars with small engines, low repair costs, and good security features attract the lowest insurance premiums. For young drivers, choosing a Group 1-5 car instead of a Group 20 car can save over £1,000/year in insurance costs.
How do I check a car's insurance group UK?
You can check any car's insurance group using the registration number on the Thatcham Research website (thatcham.org) or by using the 'check a car's insurance group' tool on comparison sites like Confused.com, MoneySuperMarket, or Admiral. You can also check on What Car?, Parkers, or Auto Trader when researching a car to buy. Always check the insurance group before buying a car — especially as a young driver, where the difference between groups can be hundreds of pounds per year.
Does car insurance group change with modifications?
Yes — modifications to your car can increase or decrease its insurance group. Performance modifications (bigger engine, turbo upgrades, body kits) typically increase the group number and make the car more expensive to insure. Security upgrades (approved alarms, immobilisers) can sometimes reduce the group. Importantly, you must declare all modifications to your insurer — failure to do so is considered fraud and can void your policy. Even cosmetic modifications like tinted windows or alloy wheel upgrades may need to be declared.
The content on Kaeltripton.com is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, tax, legal or regulatory advice. Kaeltripton.com is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and is not a financial adviser, mortgage broker, insurance intermediary or investment firm. Nothing on this site should be construed as a personal recommendation. Rates, figures and product details are indicative only, subject to change without notice, and should always be verified directly with the relevant provider, HMRC, the FCA register, the Bank of England, Ofgem or other appropriate authority before any financial decision is made. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. If you require regulated financial advice, please consult a qualified adviser authorised by the FCA.
CT
Chandraketu Tripathi
Finance Editor · Kaeltripton.com
Chandraketu (CK) Tripathi, founder and lead editor of Kael Tripton. 22 years in finance and marketing across 23 markets. Writes on UK personal finance, tax, mortgages, insurance, energy, and investing. Sources: HMRC, FCA, Ofgem, BoE, ONS.
